S4 
AMERICAN AG-RICULTURIST. 
[Feekuart, 
meat, Dowdercd bones, or lime, gravel, ashes and 
warm water, are the convincing arguments. 
Jiovls .—Sort over, remove det-ayed ones to be 
«ooked and fed immediately, and keep a supply of 
the soundest for breeding a»imals, or those failing- 
in appetite, as spring approaches. No decayed 
turnips, rutabagas, or cabbages should be fed to 
milch cows,or bad flavor will be imparted to the milk. 
Sheep .—Exercise and fresh air are essenti-al to 
tlieir health. Shelters must be well ventilated, not 
crowded, and the sheep turned out daily, except in 
severe storms. Roots, fed with grain, will be re¬ 
turned in wool and mutton. Pregnant ewes should 
have little if any grain, but roots with hay. Those 
yeaning early ivill need separate, clean, not over¬ 
littered apartments, and careful attention, that the 
lambs be not fatally chilled. See pages 42, 43. 
Swim .—Keep them at work among the muck and 
manure. Allow breeding sows, near farrowing, 
j)otatoes or other succulent food, with bran or lin¬ 
seed meal. Give them clean, well littered sties, but 
not straw enough to endanger the young by over¬ 
laying of the mother. A projecting shelf, eight 
Inches high, on the sides of the pen, will allow the 
pigs to escape much danger from this source. 
Tools and Implements .—Have all in repair and 
readiness for spring w'ork. In tlie end, buying is 
cheaper than borrowing. Consult advertisements, 
send for catalogues and circulars for information 
about new implements, and always get the. best. 
Wood .—Save many late dinners, and much need¬ 
less scolding, and annoyance in the household, by 
having a year’s stock cut and stored under cover. 
Work in tlse Orclisird siinl Mi!rsei’.v. 
—Read over the notes of last month, and see if 
there is not some hint there given that may be fol¬ 
lowed with advantage. The season precludes much 
in the way of work, but allows time for abundant 
planning. Do not postpone selecting fruit trees, 
and sending orders, beyond this month. Take ad- 
v.antage of a damp, warm, spell, if one occurs this 
month, to give old trees a good washing and scrap¬ 
ing. A thorough application of soft soap, made 
thin enough with water to work with a broom, will 
be death to insects and moss, and vvill make the 
old trunk look like a new one. Continue root graft¬ 
ing, cut cions, and look after seeds stored in sand 
for spring planting; sec that mice do not trouble 
them. Among other applications to prevent rabbits 
from gnawing trees, we find a wash made with 
lime and strong tobacco water recommended. Ap¬ 
ply a poultice of cow dung and loam to barked trees. 
Do everything now that will save a day in April. 
Kitchen fSsirdeii.—Generally the gard¬ 
ens are, during this month, covered with snow, or 
frozen so hard that nothing can be done. The 
work of preparation hinted at last month, ought 
not to be forgotten, and everything that can be 
done in gettingtools, seeds, manures and ail imple¬ 
ments in readiness, should be -well attended to. 
In family gardens it is not necessary to start the 
hot-bed until next month, but where very early 
vegetables are required it may be done sooner. 
The market gardeners around New York start their 
hot-beds about the middle or end of February. 
The plants are, however, transplanted into other 
beds, or potted and kept under glass until the 
weather allows them to he put into open ground. 
Six weeks in advance of the time at which the 
plants can be set out, is a safe rule for the hot-bed 
in the family garden. Stable manure is the main 
reliance as a heating material, but may be mixed 
with leaves or spent hops from the breweries. 
Sash 6 feet long and about 3 feet wide, are usually 
employed, but the width is governed by the size of 
glass. The frame is of stout boards or plank, 1 foot 
high at front and 2 or 2X feet at back, and of a 
sufficient length to accommodate 2, 3, or more 
sashes. A detailed description was given in March 
last. The bed of manure should be at least 18 
Inches wider and longer than the frame, and built 
up at least 2 feet high, tlie manure being spread 
evenly, and made compact by beating the layers 
down with the fork. Set on tlie frame, and put in 
6 inches of rich earth, which should have been 
made ready last fall. The temperature of the bed 
will at first be too violent, and the sash must be 
raised during the day for several days. When the 
temperature moderates to about 70° the seed may 
be sown. The manure, by using it for a hot-bed, 
is brought into most excellent condition for appli¬ 
cation to the garden later in the season. 
Forcing of Asparagus and Rhubarb may be prac¬ 
ticed by those who have the conveniences. Roots 
of eitlier ma}' be placed in a hot-bed, or fermenting 
dung may be placed around them where they stand 
in the beds. We have seen excellent rhubarb stalks 
from roots placed in a barrel in a wai-in cellar. 
Dig Horseradish, Parsnips, and Salsify whenever 
the ground is open. Lay in a stock of seeds for the 
reason suggested on page 53. Haul out ma¬ 
nure while the ground is still hard. 
Fs’iiit —The out-cloor work is 
limited to few-things. If grape vines tvere neglect¬ 
ed last autumn, tisey may be pruned in mild weather 
this month. If any dwarf trees are of unsatisfac¬ 
tory kind.s, look out for cions of choice varieties to 
graft them with. Cuttings of currants and goose¬ 
berries may be made and saved in the cellar until 
planting time. Pruning d-vvarf trees may be done 
with the knife. See tliat the covering of straw¬ 
berry bods does not get removed by the storms. 
Flower Gsircleis simdi —Make 
and perfect plans for the improvement of the 
grounds. Some hints for front yards arc given on 
page 50. Draw all plans to an exact scale. Give 
air to plants in cold frames on mild days. Prune 
and thin out shrubbery that has become overgrown. 
Rhododendrons and other broad-leaved evergreens 
need protection from the great alternations of tem¬ 
perature which occur as spring approaches. Ever¬ 
greens must not be allowed to break down from 
the weiglit of snow. Trellises, vases, and other 
garden ornaments and appli.ances can be made at 
leisure. See designs given last month. Hot-beds 
for starting annuals, etc., should be prepared for, 
but next month will be early enough to start them. 
Green and IloS-IIoiises.—Admit air 
freely to all hard-wooded plants, -whenever the 
atmosphere is clear and the outside temperature is 
8 to 10 degrees above freezing. During- damp, 
foggy spells, a little fire should be used, even if 
the temperature does not appear to require it. 
Achimenes, Gesneras and Gloxinias .—Place some 
in pots, give bottom heat, and start for early bloom. 
Azaleas and Camellias .—Those intended for late 
blooming should be kept as cool as possible, with¬ 
out injury by frost, and shaded. Those just open¬ 
ing their buds, put in warmer part of the house, 
and give manure water. They repay any attention. 
Bulbs .—A succession of flowers should be kept 
up These will like liquid manure. 
Cinerarias .—These bloom best in small pots. 
Those intended to bloom later should be kept 
growing, by shifting them to larger pots. Give 
weak manure water to those already in bloom. 
Deuizia gracilis a?id Scabra .—These hardy shrubs 
make fine green-house plants, when forced. They 
need a warm place to start them. 
Blcenlra .—Plants of this in pots may be brought 
into a warm part of the house, and they -will soon 
show their beautiful bloom. 
Fuchsias. —Son-iC of these may be started for 
early flowering by cutting back freely, and giving 
them a little bottom heat at first. Do not repot 
until they have made a new growth. 
Imects .—Cleanliness and cultivation will do much 
towards keeping them down. Crush each one as 
soon as seen. If necessary to resort to fumigation, 
do not wait until they have half killed the plant. 
Manure Water .—This is beneficial to growing 
plants, if not used too strong. Half a bushel of 
sheep or cow droppings to a liogshendof water will 
b@ strong enough. It should be clear when used. 
Primulas .—The Chinese Primroses, especially 
the double ones, are fine ornaments to the house. 
They keep longin bloom,if not exposed to extremes 
of temperature and are benefited by manure water 
Scarlet Gei'aniums .—Old plants tvhich have been 
stored away for the winter are apt to oecoine damp 
and mouldy. Remove all decayed portions and 
bring to a drier and -warmer place. 
Succule7its, Bucli as Cactuses and Mesembryanthe- 
mums, need little water, except they are growing. 
Water only when the soil is getting dry, and then 
copiously with that at the temperature of the house. 
Apiary Iia Jain iiary.—Prepared % M. Quin- 
by .—If the weather is sufficiently warm for the bees 
to come out when there is a newly fallen snow, the 
directions for last month should be observed. 
Keep open the air passages. Sweep out dead bees 
and filth, whenever all frost leaves the hive. If any 
stock is to be changed to a new stand, arrange it 
now before the bees fly out to mark their present 
locality. Place stands at least six feet apart wliere- 
ever there is room. A less distance is allowable 
only for want of room, or -ivlsen a fertile queen can 
be provided for swarming hives. Indeed, orna¬ 
mental bee-houses, so strongly coveted by some, 
in which the hives are set quite close together, can 
be made nearl}'- as profitable as any, if queens are 
furnished ; but the movable comb liive of some 
kind is required for this purpose. When standing 
thus, the hive may be allowed to swarm, and seven 
days afterward, before any of the young queens 
hatch, the royal cells should be removed, and the 
queen introduced. If this system of managenieiit 
is contemplated for the coming season, or if the 
Italians are to be ])ropagated, the boxes for raising 
queens should be made now. Make a miniature 
iiive less than six inches square, of the pattern ot 
any movable comb hive used, and containing cot 
less than three combs. Fit clean worker combs in 
the frames, and expose to severe freezing, to kill 
all moth eggs that may be in them. For method 
of Italianizing bees in box hives, see page 43. 
Twenty Good Premiums 
For Volsime S4.—1865. 
The folio-wing excellent premiums are continued, They 
are worthy of strong effort. For full particulars, see 
page 2nd of January number. There is no change in the 
terms, except that the Book list of tliis month (page 63,) 
is to be referred to instead of that of last month, as prices 
have changed somewhat. 
T'aWe of Premiums and Terms, 
For Volume 24, iS 
2.0 
Open to all—No Competition. S ^ 
Adames qf Premium ArUcles, “ 
1— Good Books —terms Ja-it month ........ 
2— Case of Drawins Insti-nments........... $8 00 
3— Best Family Clollies-Wringer. $10 00 
4— Doty’s Wasliins Machine.$12 00 
.'5—Sewing Machine, CWheeler & Wilson)..$55 00 
B—Four Octave Melodeon (best). $(5T 00 
7— Five Octave Melodeon (best). $112 00 
8— Brown’s Baby Tender...$S0 00 
9— Brown’s B.aby Tender.$42 00 
10— Woodrutf’s Mercurial Barometer.$10 00 
11— Woodruf!'’s Mercurial Barometer. $15 00 
Ig—The Amiarins.$12 00 
13— Ladies’Rosewood Writing Desk.....$12 00 
14— Gentleman’s do do do . ..$14 00 
I.’?—Any back Volume Agriculturist, j .^'2 $150 
Ifi—Any Two do do do g s $3 00 
17—Any Three do do do !■ v-o $4 50 
15— Any Four do do do ( ga $6 00 
19— Any Five do do do J ft,S $7 50 
20— Strawberry Plants—,568 Ter^na last month _ 
2 3 
eta 
S3 
60 
70 
SO 
S60 
400 
GOO 
m 
236 
70 
00 
SO 
80 
90 
20 
25 
SO 
40 
50 
Commercial Kotes—Prices Current. 
New-Yoek, Jan. 20, 1S65. 
We give here-with seven very condensed and conveni¬ 
ent tables, the first two referring to llie transactions in 
the New York markets during a month ending January 
16, to which date they are made up. The.«e tables have 
been carefully prepared, specially for the Atnerican Ag¬ 
riculturist, from official and other reliable sources, in¬ 
cluding tlie note.s of onr own reporter. They will be 
found highly intere.sting, as showing the cour.se of trade 
and giving a general view of tlie condilion of our bread¬ 
stuff supplies. They will also be valuable for reference 
in after years-During the p-ast monlh, tliere lias been 
little noteworthy in the Breadstuff Markets. The prices 
have varied from day to day, with the rise and fall ol 
gold. The price table herewilh, shows a little decline, 
and as gold is “ weak ” just now, rates are tending down 
ward rapidly. The same is tlie case with otlier prod-j -e, 
cotton, etc. If the miliSarv successes continue as the* 
